For almost five years, Afghanistan’s women footballers have lived in exile, scattered across Europe, Australia and the United States (US), unable to officially represent their country.
On Tuesday, the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) allowed Afghan female players to compete as the Afghanistan women’s national team in official international matches with full sporting recognition.
The decision, issued at a FIFA Council meeting in Vancouver, British Columbia, updates a rule that previously required FIFA to recognize a national team only through the country’s own soccer federation.
Afghanistan’s federation, operating under Taliban control since 2021, has not recognized the women’s program, which prevented female players from competing internationally.
The amendment gives FIFA’s council authority to approve a national team registration under exceptional circumstances, specifically to protect players from being excluded due to situations beyond their control.
“This is a powerful and unprecedented step in world sport. By enabling Afghan women to compete for their country in official matches, we are turning principles into action,” FIFA President Gianni Infantino said in a statement.
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The team has played as Afghan Women United, a FIFA-supported refugee squad, since the Taliban returned to power in 2021 and suspended organized women’s sports.
Many players left the country in a coordinated evacuation led in part by former team captain and activist Khalida Popal.
Players have campaigned since 2021 for FIFA to designate the group as Afghanistan’s official women’s national team.
The team returned to international competition in October in an unofficial FIFA-organized tournament in Morocco.
Although the change comes too late for Afghanistan to qualify for the 2027 Women’s World Cup in Brazil, the team could now enter qualifying for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.
A training camp is scheduled for the first week of June in New Zealand, where the team will face the Cook Islands.
FIFA said it will provide financial, technical, and human support for up to two years during the transition.